James Brindley Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the early years provision is made even more challenging and enjoyable for children by:

leaders and other staff making sure that facilities are prepared as well as possible to be ready for play and learning leaders continuing to build on earlier training to enhance the skills and confidence of new team members.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The headteacher sets the tone for the positive and hardworking atmosphere in the school. While he shares leadership responsibilities with other senior leaders and staff more widely, he continues to be closely involved with pupils’ learning and accessible to parents. Other senior leaders support the headteacher very well. Senior leaders’ approach gives confidence to and empowers staff.
• There have been significant changes to staffing since the previous inspection. These have been well managed. Teachers with suitable skills and experience have been appointed.
• Expectations in the school are very high. Leaders’ accurate evaluation of the school’s strengths and any relatively weaker aspects link to a clear school improvement plan. This sets suitable actions to enable the school to improve yet further. Leaders are not complacent about the tasks they have to do.
• The curriculum is very well planned. It has a good balance between the key aspects of English and mathematics and other subjects. This means that pupils have sufficient time to learn well and make rapid progress across all subjects. In addition, the variety offered maintains pupils’ interest throughout each week. The curriculum also provides many planned opportunities to enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• The curriculum is broadened further by other opportunities during the school day and after school. Roughly one third of pupils receive musical tuition on a range of musical instruments. The number of pupils taking part in sports, including in school teams, is also very high. Pupils have achieved particular success in gymnastics and cross- country running. School teams give the most talented pupils in these activities a chance to excel but leaders are clear that all pupils should also be encouraged to take part and to enjoy doing so. An example of this success was seen in the assembly which took place during the inspection. Over 50 pupils who had taken part in a recent cross-country event were congratulated in front of many of their parents.
• The positive atmosphere of the school supports pupils to learn about values such as tolerance, respect and understanding of other people; such values are built in to its expectations and relationships. Pupils experience democracy first-hand as school council representatives are elected at the start of the school year. Pupils who are not elected are still involved through class discussions and know how they can influence decision-making.
• The school successfully maintains a ‘family feeling’ and is fully committed to meeting the needs of its community. A high number of parents attend events including celebration assemblies where they share in the life of the school.
• Parents are very supportive of the school. Almost all of those who gave their views in Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were positive about all aspects of the school. The written responses received confirmed this picture. A typical comment was ‘We wholeheartedly love the school.’

Governance

• Governance is highly effective. The governing body is well informed about the different aspects of the school, and governors use this information to provide a combination of clear challenge and strong support.
• The governing body has recently been reconstituted. A new chair and vice-chair have been appointed. Governors’ skills and experience match the needs of the school well.
• Governors are committed to becoming even more effective. They organised their own review of their effectiveness and have put in place a demanding governor improvement plan. This identifies a number of actions designed to give the governing body even more impact. Governors consider their actions carefully and have identified where these have made a difference to the school’s practice. For example, they have asked leaders and teachers to consider how spelling is taught. and requested that the school’s data is presented to them in a more straightforward way.
• Governors ensure that funding overall, and additional pupil and sports premium funding, are spent effectively. They have managed the available finances to allow for improvement to the school building, most recently in providing a new teaching area for children in Reception. The good impact of the additional funding is demonstrated by the high rates of progress of disadvantaged pupils, which match those of others in the school, and the high take-up of the sports activities offered.
• Governors play a full part in the school’s system for matching teachers’ performance to their pay. They consider the recommendations made by the headteacher carefully to ensure that pay increases are fully justified.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The governing body has ensured that statutory guidance is closely followed. There is a thorough system for checking that new members of staff are suitable to work in a school. Those involved in making appointments have completed appropriate training. In addition, the school’s internet system is filtered to ensure that pupils cannot access inappropriate material.
• Staff are kept fully up to date with information about how to keep children safe. Safeguarding is an agenda item at each of the regular staff meetings.
• Staff liaise closely with organisations outside the school to make sure that children are protected and safe. For example, training for teachers about risks concerning radicalisation and extremism was provided in partnership with other local primary schools. In addition, when any safeguarding concerns become known to the school, there is very rapid follow-up with the appropriate agencies.
• Pupils are very well known by staff. Staff commitment to care for pupils as individuals underpins the strong safeguarding culture in the school and adds to pupils’ safety.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• The consistently effective teaching ensures that pupils learn well and reach very high standards in English, mathematics and other subjects.
• Teachers’ expectations are very high. They plan lessons which allow pupils to build up their knowledge and understanding quickly and to practise their skills effectively. For example, Year 3 pupils built up their learning in mathematics over the two days of the inspection as the teacher developed pupils’ confidence in understanding different shapes through practical activities and discussion that led them to think deeply. Teachers’ high expectations also encourage pupils to behave very well. This helps everyone learn.
• The leadership of teaching is highly effective. Leaders work with teachers to ensure that they use consistent approaches across many aspects of their teaching. For example, leaders expect each classroom to have displays to remind pupils about how their work will be marked and what is expected of their behaviour. In addition, pupils’ learning is effectively supported by the wall displays about English and mathematics in each classroom. These give information about the work being studied and examples of completed tasks which have been done very well. Pupils are confident to refer to these when they need to find extra information or a reminder of what they have done before.
• Teachers assess pupils’ progress regularly and check that pupils are learning quickly enough. If learning slows, additional teaching is planned for identified pupils which quickly fills any gaps. This approach is also taken for any pupils who start the school year a little behind others so that they can catch up. Teachers have comprehensive assessment information which, with other information, helps them to understand what each pupil needs.
• The teaching of reading is given a high priority in all years. This starts with the successful development of children’s phonic skills in the early years and key stage 1. Pupils are then encouraged to use these and other reading skills as they read increasingly complex books as they get older. The most able readers continue to develop their reading very well. They are set the challenge of reading either 50 or 100 books each school year from a special library which makes sure that they experience writing from a wide range of authors. Pupils’ love of reading is supported in other ways. For example, each classroom has a comfortable reading area set aside and pupils can take a book to read in a building outside during their breaks.
• Homework is set regularly. It adds to pupils’ progress because teachers set tasks to deepen pupils’ knowledge as well as to prepare for future activities. In addition, leaders have provided a series of videos on the school’s website giving examples of how topics in mathematics and other subjects are taught. This allows parents to understand the school’s approach and to support their children at home. Parents support early years teaching by practising phonics and reading with their children at home.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work together closely. This allows in-class support of individuals and groups of pupils to be effective, and provides opportunities to stretch the most able in lessons. In addition, groups of most-able pupils are given additional teaching by specialist teachers. For example, Year 6 pupils are given the skills to complete more demanding tasks in mathematics.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The positive relationships and secure atmosphere of the school promote pupils’ confidence. They are happy to talk about their work. They understand what is expected and what they are trying to achieve. They are very proud of their individual success and the school as a whole.
• The school is a safe place. The pupils who talked to inspectors said that they feel safe and parents agree. Pupils are well supervised in and out of class. They are taught effectively about particular risks – most recently, about how to stay safe when using the internet and social media. This was as part of the school’s anti-bullying week activities. The school’s records show that any instances of serious poor behaviour including bullying are very rare indeed. Pupils confirmed this to inspectors.
• Staff are aware of pupils’ needs, particularly those who may be vulnerable or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. While the number of such pupils is relatively low, the support they receive is well thought out and means that they are fully included in the school. They make rapid progress. This aspect of the school is recognised and highly valued by parents.
• Pupils are given many opportunities to take responsibility. These include being members of the school council and playground leaders. Where pupils are asked to complete tasks for the school, they take these seriously and show great maturity.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils work very hard in lessons. They are enthusiastic to learn and think hard about how they can help each other in class. On the very rare occasions that teachers need to remind pupils about how they should behave, this is done without disturbing the learning of others.
• Pupils’ conduct when learning in class and around the school is exceptionally good. They expect to interact with adults as they move around the school. These conversations are friendly and genuine. When asked to move around in groups, they line up quietly and very sensibly, and are careful not to disturb others.
• Pupils are kind and look after each other. One older pupil told an inspector that ‘four of us would run across to help’ if they saw that someone had fallen over in the playground.
• Pupils want to be at school. Attendance is very high and long-term absences are very infrequent for all groups of pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils’ starting points in Year 1 are typically above those seen nationally. This reflects, in part, the effectiveness of the early years provision. The high-quality teaching pupils receive ensures that they make rapid progress, for example as they learn phonics. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been well above the national average for the last three years. In 2016, 100% of pupils met the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
• In 2016, the proportions reaching and exceeding the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in the national Year 2 assessments were above those seen nationally. In particular, the most able do very well indeed. This indicates the rapid progress pupils make in key stage 1. Inspection evidence confirms that pupils currently in key stage 1 are learning equally well.
• In 2016, Year 6 pupils left the school having reached very high standards in reading, writing and mathematics, with almost all reaching the expected standard and an above-average proportion exceeding this. The same high achievement was seen in other assessments, including in science and spelling. The results in 2016 and the high standards reached in previous years reflect that, over time, pupils make sustained progress from their different starting points.
• Pupils’ work in class and in their books confirms that the older pupils in the school continue to learn very well. The high standards reached in Year 6 mean that pupils are very well prepared to continue their learning when they move to secondary school.
• The school’s own system for setting targets and checking that pupils are making enough progress is closely matched to the rates of progress expected nationally. It shows that almost all pupils are currently on track to make even more progress than this. Where this is not the case, teachers have identified the reason why and support pupils to make the fastest possible progress.
• Pupils develop their skills, knowledge and understanding very well in a wide range of subjects. Pupils’ success was evident, for example, in Year 5 pupils’ enthusiastic but thoughtful appraisal of others’ singing in music. In Year 6, pupils’ great enjoyment and deep thinking were seen as they built up the stages of a game in computing.
• It is hard to use the published data to draw definite conclusions about the achievement of different groups of pupils because the numbers included in some groups are very small. However, evidence seen in the school confirms that the small groups of disadvantaged pupils and of those with low starting points make similar rapid progress to other pupils. Numbers of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are also small. However, the gains such pupils make are rapid as a result of the effective teaching and support they receive.
• The most able pupils learn particularly quickly, make very rapid progress and reach very high standards across the school. In 2016, all pupils with the highest starting points exceeded expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Children in the early years develop and learn very well as the result of the experiences provided. They make rapid progress from starting points which are typical for children of their age. The proportion attaining a good level of development by the time they move into Year 1 is well above that seen nationally. Children reach very high levels in their communication, literacy and mathematical skills as well as in the other areas of learning. This means that they are ready to move into Year 1 as they leave Reception.
• The number of children in the early years has increased over the last few years. Leaders and governors have provided an attractively refurbished space for groups of children in Reception to use for learning.
• Leadership of the early years is very strong. Leaders and other staff know the early years children very well. They carefully track children’s development against what is expected. Where this shows that learning has been relatively slower, staff adjust their planning to make sure that activities help to close any gaps. The number of children who have free school meals, or special educational needs and/or disabilities, is low. However, leaders ensure that there is additional planning to ensure that activities precisely match such children’s developmental needs. When required, extra adult support is provided. These children’s progress is rapid.
• Leaders ensure that the learning areas for Nursery and Reception classes are well equipped so that children can enjoy their learning. However, some aspects of the facilities are not kept as ready as possible for children’s use.
• Staffing levels are high and children have plentiful opportunities to talk with adults about what they are doing. Many children are confident to do this with visitors too. Children play and learn together happily. They behave very well.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work together highly effectively. They plan activities which capture children’s interest and lead naturally to learning. For example, children showed great enthusiasm in using autumn leaves as part of their learning about the world, practising their writing and in art work. Leaders successfully ensure that staff are deployed in the best possible way. This is particularly important because most of the early years team were new to the school this school year. These new members of staff received detailed induction training before they started their work at the school. They continue to share in training provided by the school.
• Children are safe because leaders pay careful attention to reducing risk, such as by having bolts on doors to limit access to areas where children should not go. Supervision is close without restricting children’s opportunities for learning. Staff are well trained in safeguarding.
• Parents have great confidence in the work of the early years team. They play their part by helping children practise as they start to learn to read. They are given opportunities to come into school to provide additional voluntary support to children as they learn.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 105918 Salford 10003003 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils Gender of pupils 3–11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 262 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Joanne Hebden Mr Chris Moore 0161 790 8050 www.jamesbrindleyprimary.com jamesbrindley.primaryschool@salford.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 15–16 November 2011

Information about this school

• James Brindley Community Primary School is average sized.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is well below average. However, an average proportion have education, health and care plans or statements of special educational needs.
• There have been significant changes to the school staff since the previous inspection. These include the appointment of a new headteacher and deputy headteacher. The chair and vice-chair of the governing body are also recent appointments.
• The headteacher and other teachers work with staff from a local group of primary schools to provide and receive support.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all years of the school including the early years. They visited an assembly. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and during breaktimes.
• They held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders and groups of teachers, including middle leaders, and other members of staff. They met formally with two groups of pupils and spoke to others during lessons and at other times during the school day. An inspector met with a group of governors.
• An inspector met a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors examined pupils’ books during lessons and during a scrutiny of samples of written work across a range of pupils and subjects.
• Inspectors reviewed documents including school policies, safeguarding information, the school’s own evaluation of pupils’ progress and of school effectiveness, the school improvement plan, minutes of governing body meetings and information about the performance management of teachers.
• Inspectors considered 94 responses to Parent View, including 22 additional written comments to the survey questions and a letter from a parent. They considered 15 responses from staff to an online questionnaire. Forty-four responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils were received.

Inspection team

David Selby, lead inspector Gary Kelly Barbara Harrold Elizabeth Clarke

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector